Tallahassee, Fla. (October 8, 2015) Today’s filings with the Florida Division of Elections confirm that Floridians for Solar Choice (FSC) is financially strong heading into October. Floridians for Solar Choice reported more than $446,670 in new monetary donations and had nearly $211,701 as cash-on-hand at the end of September. In addition, the Solar Choice campaign boasts over 171,000 verified signatures with another 100,000 awaiting verification.

“We continue to be very pleased by the strength of our campaign to place solar choice on the 2016 ballot,” said Tory Perfetti, Chairman of Floridians for Solar Choice. “We strongly believe that voters have the right to vote on solar choice and that consumers have the right to chose solar in their homes and businesses. As a conservative, I hold competition, free markets and choice as core principles. Over a quarter of a million Floridians have already signed our petition in support of solar choice, and our campaign is in full swing to secure the necessary signatures to place this proposal on the 2016 ballot.”

“The solar industry in Florida, and across the nation, recognizes the value of solar power for the Sunshine State,” said Mike Antheil, Executive Director, Florida Solar Energy Industries Association. “As the leading voice for the solar industry in Florida, we have known for a long time that getting the market conditions right in our state will lead to significant economic development through new jobs for Florida residents, new opportunities for Florida business owners and new savings for Florida consumers.”

Floridians for Solar Choice ballot initiative was the first of 2016’s potential amendments to gather 10 percent of the required petition signatures (68,314) in order to trigger a Supreme Court review, which it did back in March of this year. Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi held the proposed amendment until the last possible day before finally sending it the Supreme Court in April. Bondi then joined the monopoly utilities and their proxies in filing opposition briefs with the Supreme Court in June to attempt to stop solar choice in Florida. Due to the court’s scheduled summer recess, Floridians for Solar Choice wasn’t able to present before the state Supreme Court until September 1, 2015 and a decision is expected this month.

“We know the utilities have continued to negatively influence Florida’s political process through the administration, the state legislature and the attorney general’s dirty tricks, but we trust the judicial branch will not be influenced by ugly utility politics as we eagerly await the Supreme Court’s decision,” said Dr. Stephen Smith, Executive Director, Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. “Getting a citizen-initiated amendment on the ballot in Florida is very difficult. A timely decision by the Supreme Court is absolutely essential to ensure that there is a fair, democratic process for citizens’ voices to be heard.”

The Solar Choice ballot proposal will expand solar choice by removing barriers that limit solar ownership models. Florida is one of only four states where the law expressly prohibits citizens and businesses the freedom to buy solar power from someone other than a monopoly or government-owned electric utility.

# # #

Floridians for Solar Choice supports the freedom to develop solar power in the Sunshine State and is bringing people together to take solar power choice to the ballot. Learn more at www.flsolarchoice.org